This invention relates to face masks which are used by water sportsmen and more particularly to a water sportsman's face mask for viewing objects above or below a swimmer in a body of water.
Diving masks and swimmer's goggles are exemplary of face masks used by water sportsmen, including, recreational swimmers, scuba divers, snorklers, surfers and spear fishermen. They seal tightly against a sportsman's face and prevent water from contacting his eyes. Some also prevent water from contacting his nose. They frequently include attached snorkels or are used with mouthpieces, breathing regulators and air tanks.
In many instances, while swimming on the surface or beneath the surface, hazards are encountered, such as, boats, debris, sharks, electric eels, men-of-war, rocks, reefs and the like. The ability of a swimmer to cope with hazards in water is diminished over his natural habitat of dry land because of the swimmer's reduced mobility and poor lighting. Consequently, it is desirable for the swimmer to have as much notice as possible of the presence of hazards.
Inasmuch as a swimmer generally swims with head erect to view the area ahead of the swimmer, he must frequently rotate his head and twist his body to view objects directly above or below him. Viewing objects above the swimmer is most difficult because of the inability to further rotate his head.
The head and body movements are tiresome, impede the swimmer's forward movement and detract from his enjoyment of the water sport. They also interfere with the use of snorkels by limiting his positions and may cause him to intake water.
From the foregoing, it is apparent that a need exists for reducing a swimmer's repetitive head and body movements and expanding his field of vision while swimming on or below the surface of a body of water.